As A Reward
by Tokishimo Rika
Summary: With no clear chance of being together with the one they really love, they turn to face each other again- probably their last. A story of two childhood sweethearts, separated by fate and was brought back together, finding a place where they belong.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The small, black earpiece Hyuuga Natsume wore kept buzzing while the person on the other line spoke. It had not been like this when he left the school premises for almost and hour and a half. For some reason, he felt like someone was trying to get in their line. It should be no surprise, but for them to know so soon...

"Natsume, are you sure about this?" Ruka's voice was accompanied by a buzz. He seemed preoccupied.

Trying not to look stupid talking to no one without any noticeable earphone wire, Natsume held his phone up to his ear. He is yet in another bus, with no particular destination, beside an old lady. But even so, it would prove awkward if someone else finds him stupid (though he already is, going around finding a girl aimlessly).

"You know, you should have asked me about this when I was still inside." he said. He heard Ruka sighing.

"You left before I was about to say anything to you. You don't listen to a word I say anymore- we've had this conversation just about an hour ago. Don't bring it up again!"

"I didn't. You did." Natsume said. Ruka scoffed as response. "Look, just tell me where she's at."

"Are you sure?" the line was buzzing again. "They make really clumsy hackers, but they sure can understand." Ruka said, pertaining to the people who must be responsible for the buzzing.

Natsume closed his eyes in frustration. For the past two years, Ruka had been paying real close attention to Natsume. Almost as if he was payed to keep an eye on him. When Natsume was snooping through Narumi's files, away from Ruka, he happened to see her name. He didn't know why she was among the Potentials (people who may or may not have Alices). He started sneaking inside the library to use the net, because it was the only place where he can have access to the archives that were saved there and search for her simultaneously. Natsume failed to find her and when Ruka, who was unsurprisingly watching his every move, found out about this, he willingly helped. But now that Natsume was on the move, he tries to stop him.

"Ruka, this is my only chance to see her." he said. "_Please_. Let me see her."

"You never begged like this when you wanted to see Sakura. You _never_ begged to see Sakura."

Natsume silenced.

"That girl's been living in peace. If she does have an alice and is still not brought to the academy- because, hey, there's a possibility that it may have disappeared- then it's best to leave her be. She's been hurt enough by our situation... Just... go and see Sakura if you miss a girl that much. See Sakura from afar." From Ruka's voice, Natsume can tell that he's hurting. They both hardly mentioned Mikan for a while. Why bring her up now?

They both silenced for a while. Natsume, making up his mind, cut this uncomfortable pause. "You know where I can find her. Tell me."

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do? I don't think this is right. She's _normal_. If she's one of us, the least we both could do is let her _appear _normal."

"Yes, Ruka, I'm sure." he said, to spite Ruka. "I'm not trying to bring her there. I'm trying to see her. For once after eight years. Only until yesterday, I believed she was dead."

Ruka didn't answer for a minute. The bus slows down. Natsume is nearing his third bus stop. The old woman beside him was already on another seat. This is probably her stop. "Okay." Ruka finally said. "I'll send you a text. You know why."

"Yeah. Okay. I'll throw this thing the second I go down... Bye."

"Natsume, I-" Ruka called before Natsume removed the earpiece. "Just... When you see her, and if she remembers... Tell her I miss her, too. So much. And that I feel sorry for suddenly leaving without a goodbye."

The bus stopped and the doors flew open. He was at a bus stop near a school. There is a sign he could barely see that says "Seishun Gakuen"all in shiny silver metal. The old lady stood and walked out. "Okay, I will." he answered. "Thank you. Really, thank you."

He removed the earpiece and instantly, he received a message from Ruka. He opened it and saw two simple words: _Seishun Gakuen_. That's exactly where he is now. Natsume bolted upright and ran out the bus before the doors shut down. He studies the entrance of the school. The front was bare, just gray paved ground, and the building looked old. It has rain marks here and there. Over the right, he can see green spray-painted iron fences that must be courts used by the badminton club or any other normal club any normal school has. And the gates- the gates are opened. Which meant he can roam around to find her. Have a talk with the faculty and receive information about where she lives, if he's lucky.

When Natsume entered the vicinity, he saw students coming out, eager to open their lunch boxes. Some are running towards the courts squealing and others are already settled in groups on the bright green grass. Natsume still haven't eaten anything. Maybe because he wasn't hungry or maybe he was worried about her that he can't even eat. Or... his empty stomach decided that he wasn't hungry anymore because he's worried about her so badly.

He started searching for Ryuzaki Sakuno by the courts.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

There was a male lurking around the campus.

So far as Sakuno heard about this male, he was hot and handsome and tall and perfect and _hot_ (from Tomoka, of course). The male had been here since lunch break- which is a very long time since it was now time to attend to club activities- but Sakuno hadn't had the chance to have a glimpse of him. He wasn't likely a new student because she haven't heard of anyone transferring. Not like she cared.

She was busy wondering if she would just buy a plush toy or make one. For Kikumaru. Sakuno must have a decision now before she goes to Sylvia's, a store she frequently goes to whenever she undertook knitting or if she needed to patch a hole on any fabric. If she ever decides to just make it herself, she'll have two days to finish it.

"Sakuno, you don't have to do this." Tomoka said. They were walking down to the courts, Sakuno felt. If not in the courts then _by_ the courts. They were always _by_ the courts.

"But I do, Tomo-chan. I feel that this is a responsibility I have to properly act." she said, trying to change their direction.

"As what, Sakuno? He's not your boyfriend. God, you're not his _girlfriend_."

Sakuno shuddered as she remembered the recent event. She occasionally plays with the Women's Tennis Club, but the matches lessened because Inui had caused her great trouble. "He believes he is because of the potion Inui-senpai made."

"Which wasn't made for him! Besides, it isn't your fault that he drunk it instead of Ryoma-sama." Tomoka grabbed Sakuno's arm, pulling her to the right way. _This is the way to Ryoma-sama_, Sakuno could almost hear Tomoka thinking. "Come on. Let's just go find the mysterious guy or cheer on Ryoma-sama- which is your responsibility, by the way."

"It's not. I don't have to see him practice; I still see him even if I don't cheer him for something as irrelevant as a practice match. We walk home together."

Tomoka covered her mouth in mock shock. "Irrelevant? It's important to see him _everyday_."

"But I do see him everyday!" Sakuno suddenly knew this isn't about making or buying a stuffed toy for Kikumaru-senpai; the whole thing is about Ryoma. "We have classes together. We are biology partners, we eat lunch together. At the rooftop. Alone. We walk to and from school to our homes_. _Missing one or two practice sessions won't matter."

Tomoka eyed her, "You certainly have changed. Before, seeing him practice is the only thing we both live for. You're throwing away what we are living for, Sakuno."

Sakuno choked back a laugh. "You don't mean that."

"But I do, Sakuno." Tomoka repeated what Sakuno said before.

"Yeah?" Sakuno steeled herself. "Gratefully, I spent enough time with him to learn that he will never like me, though he is capable. Saved me from the embarrassment of confessing to him, I tell you."

"Nonsense," Tomoka said softly. "You still like him, right?"

Sakuno didn't answer. She wasn't so sure; it was like she was rejecting that she still liked him. Or maybe she already got over him at the same time she got over her stuttering. Something tells her that she still loved him as before and that would explain why she still hadn't cut her hair and kept it in braids- braid, now. It was French braided into a single, with no hair pin by her bangs that stayed at the right side of her forehead.

Tomoka kept talking about the guy she saw walking around campus and just remembered that he had raven black hair. It was slightly long, Tomoka said, but looked good on him. His body is front-cover perfect and that was just him in his tight black v-neck shirt. Tomoka also mentioned that Ryoma and Sakuno didn't eat lunch alone, entirely, because Kikumaru was with them.

She has decided: she'll stitch a plush toy for Kikumaru-senpai. Stitching something that can be bought already stitched makes things considerably special. Kikumaru should feel special, now of all times. Even if he is merely _a_ victim and not _the_ victim (because she's clearly _the_ victim), Kikumaru was brought into this mess. If only the people around her understood that she and Ryoma will never be together. For argument's sake, they do have the chance and Sakuno would be truthfully happy if that chance would not only be a chance. But it will definitely stay as a chance and no more, given Ryoma's nature.

After another failed attempt to go anywhere but the courts, Tomoka led her near the green metal railings, which was actually good, Sakuno thought. They- Sakuno and Ryoma- had been going home together since their first year in high school. This way, she'll be able to tell Ryoma that she won't be going home with him this time. Then gradually, she won't be going home with him at all. It would save her from all the emotional damage.

She had grown too attached with Ryoma for the past years. Too attached that she felt Ryoma is always there; ubiquitous, dare she say. That he's customary in her life and if he ever leaves or if he ever finds a girl he'll learn to love, she'd be a clock that's missing a hour hand or a machine missing the biggest gear. Because, after all..., it is he who taught her most of what she knows about tennis. Ryoma does not belong to her, and she knows it. He's her precious tennis coach.

Once there, Kikumaru dashed towards Sakuno, greeting her with a hug. In normal circumstances, it would be tight and warm and... well, what a normal bear hug Kikumaru gave to anyone. Since he drank Inui's potion- which was made from whatever Inui makes his drinks with but with an addition of her sweat- Kikumaru's hugs were generally flirtatious. Nevertheless, it made her swoon.

"I missed you..." Kikumaru whispered on her ear causing her to shiver. She tried to push him off her but her efforts are futile.

"Senpai, we ate lunch together."

"Ah, did we?" Kikumaru pulled himself away and grabbed her hand, bringing it close to his lips. "We were hardly alone. There was an elementary student in our presence; we can't call that 'together'."

Sakuno winced. She wished this would end sooner. "Are you really going to speak like that?"

"I found that a lot of women admires a Renaissance man. I did try to appear many-sided and chivalrous to you. Renaissance men are not common these days. Did you not like it?"

"I'm comfortable with the normal way you speak, senpai. Please return back now." Tomoka interjected. Sakuno held back a laugh when Kikumaru groaned. "See, I told you, you don't have to please him." Tomoka whispered at her ear.

He turned his face to wryly look at Tomoka. "I really don't want you to ruin my moves, Tomo-chan."

Tomoka crossed her arms. "I really don't want you to ruin my plan, senpai."

"You won't win. Sa-chan's mine, not ochibi's." Kikumaru crushed Sakuno in his chest and wailed. "Mine. Mine. Mine!"

"I think you're confused. You didn't answer her confession." Inui said as he neared them. A towel was draped on his shoulders over his Regular's jacket. He just won a doubles match with Momoshiro against Kaido and Takashi*. His rival pair were now engrossed with a singles match with Takashi earning the first point. Oishi was rallying with Ryoma. Ryoma didn't even look at her.

"Then I answer you." Kikumaru pulled back enough to look down at her. "You're my girlfriend now."

"I think you're even more confused. She didn't even confess to you." Inui said, grinning. He looked at Sakuno now. "Sakuno-san, I finished another tonic. If it works accordingly to my hypothesis, he would return back with no side effects."

All Sakuno could just say was "That's great." Though she really meant it.

"I could bring it tomorrow, if you'd like. We'll all meet at the public tennis court at the park." he was still smiling "And then Echizen would be able to hug you now."

"Yes! And you'll make another one of your drink for Ryoma-sama. The love potion, I mean. With extra dose of her sweat and sugar. And you'll burn the recipe for the antidote so you'll never have to turn Ryoma-sama back." Tomoka squealed in joy.

Sakuno frowned. She loosened Kikumaru's hug and pulled away from him. "You won't. Don't make one for Ryoma."

Tomoka laughed. "I was only joking."

"Don't joke about that. It's really creepy on my part." she faced Inui. "I'm fine with meeting at the park. I'm not fine with you making another one of that love potion. Can we do that?"

"Of course. I'll inform Oishi about this. Kikumaru, you're going to work on your stamina." Both of them walked towards the empty spot where Oishi and Ryoma had their match. Ryoma was on the bench, retying his shoelace with a towel on his left shoulder. Obviously, Ryoma won. He got up and walked, making her believe that he's walking towards her.

She had let herself believe that he keeps walking to her dozens of times. One time, it had been at the corridor. She was talking with a new kid named Tetsuya, and she talked him into joining the tennis club after knowing that he played. "When we were in Middle School, the boys picked up the balls and then swing their rackets for a hundred times," she'd said to Tetsuya. "But we're in High School now. I don't think you're going to go through the picking and the swinging-a-hundred-times." That made him laugh. And that made Sakuno laugh.

"Then what do we do?" Tetsuya asked.

"I don't know, pick a match, maybe? That's what I saw them do. That's what you're gonna do. And the middleschoolers will pick up the balls." she'd said.

"Why do I get the feeling that you meant to say 'pick a fight'...," they talked more about the club. Sakuno couldn't help but brag about Ryoma. They were both touching by the arms and laughing and she'd brush the hair away from his face because it was too long at the front. Like bangs. Do guys call them bangs? She asked him- more like commanded him- to have his hair cut short. He said he would and that's when she saw Ryoma walking to them. _Jealous_, she thought, _jealous, jealous, jealous_. She kept talking to Tetsuya as if she didn't see Ryoma in her line of vision. When Ryoma passed them, there were parts (part of her wished he would stop by them and tell Tetsuya "Don't talk to her."; part of her knew that she wasn't anything major to him like a girlfriend; part of her still wanted to be dragged away from Tetsuya because she wants Ryoma jealous; et cetera). The next day, Tetsuya came to school with his hair styled with gel and shorter at the front. She didn't remember asking him to cut his hair because Ryoma was talking about joining a gym and if she brought an extra shirt for a training with him, with hair the least of their concern. She said no- no, he can't join the gym and no, she didn't bring an extra because she already has one in her locker. Ryoma didn't join the gym.

Now, Ryoma was actually walking towards her and actually stopped in front of her. He asked if she can accompany him to the vending machine and called her by her name. Because they're in first-name basis nowadays. Inside, Sakuno was bursting with tears and joy. She didn't want to stop spending time with him, after all. She should have just gone here to the courts without a fight with Tomoka because she truthfully wanted to see him practice everyday.

"Sure," she said, not able to utter anything else. She told Tomoka, who was watching Kaido drink his water from a big jug, that she's going somewhere with Ryoma. Tomoka happily let her go quickly before Kikumaru noticed she was gone.

They both talked about going to Sylvia's, if he wanted to go with her or not. Ryoma said he'll go with her, but clearly opposed the idea of her making a stuffed toy for Kikumaru. "Boyfriend" and "not boyfriend" was suddenly the subject. He handed her a grape Ponta, now knowing that cherry-flavored Ponta tastes like medicine. They then walked back to the courts and talked more.

Times like this, Sakuno wished they would go on forever. She decided to call these times 'Absolute Flirting Moment'. AFM.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The sun is setting and Nastume still had no sighting of her. He was getting exhausted from all the walking and was getting really, really hungry. He stopped by a vending machine and took out real money from a wallet he kept. That wallet had been his since the academy brought both him and Ruka from the village. It was his dad's, a leather wallet that has a hole on one end and the pockets for the cards were detaching from oldness. In the photo socket, there is a picture of his mom holding a child that was probably him. She was smiling with her eyes closed and written on the back of it there was a handwriting of his dad saying "My treasures."

Whenever he got out to missions, very long missions that had him away for weeks, he made sure to have time for a part-time job. It was all part of his plan. Where Mikan is a very big part of. Now, Mikan isn't anywhere but far away from him. Very far away.

Natsume punched in for a bottle of warm water after slipping a bill. The machine rattled and an audible thump was heard. He bent down to retrieve the water and twisted the cap as he straightened his back. All throughout the day, his stomach was in knots. The last time he felt this uneasy was when... Natsume refused to remember. He took a long, tentative sip and found that the warm water pouring down his throat didn't relax him a bit. It just added more.

The sound of shoes tapping on the floor was heard. The person was running. It ran and ran and it was getting louder and louder until it stopped nearby. At the corner of his eye, he saw Ruka. He wore his tightly fit high school uniform with his necktie loose around his neck. His chest was heaving up and down fast. Why Ruka is here, Natsume doesn't know. But if Ruka's here, then he was either sent to get him back or he sneaked out (which was highly impossible.)(For Ruka, at least.)

Ruka must've been sent to get him.

Natsume suddenly felt worse. He felt queasy and it wasn't a good feeling. His hold on the bottle was loose and the dew forming on the outside of the plastic made it slip through his fingers. Or maybe he was so worried and shocked that it fell to the ground.

"I sneaked out." Ruka said. He must've seen the worry in Natsume's eyes, despite the unemotional facade he wears. Ruka neared and stood beside the bench left to the vending machine. "I can do that too, you know."

"How did you get here?" Natsume picked up the bottle that was nearly empty. There was a pool of warm water on the pavement. It caught the color of sunset, red and orange and yellow, that reminded him of fire. Reminded him of the fire he can make. Once, he showed Sakuno a small ball of fire quivering in his hands- She was so amazed that she tried to make one herself with matches. Sakuno...

If she still had her alice, whatever it was, then the Academy surely had her within the walls. During the time the three of them (Sakuno, Natsume and Ruka) were together, she never showed any sign of having an alice. Since Natsume showed her his alice, maybe the academy thought that she had one. If so, then maybe it was best to let her be.

"The bus..., it doesn't matter. What _matters_, Natsume, is that we have to get out of here. They're starting to suspect." he answered.

"Don't they always?"

"Yes, well, they're suspecting you now. It's only a matter of time that they discover that you're not inside. That we're not inside."

Natsume didn't say anything. He still hadn't seen Sakuno. At the back of his mind, he wonders how she turned out. If she has her hair long like she said she wanted, and if she keeps it in braids or in one high ponytail, or if she cut it short. If she got fat or stayed slim and thin, or if she had to pack herself a lunch. If she already had her firsts... If he didn't have an alice, he would be together with her and she would pack him lunch, too. If Ruka didn't have an alice, then Sakuno would pack three lunches and she'd have two men walking her to and from her home.

But those are if's. He'd love to sit back and soak under the shade of a big oak tree and doze off, thinking all about what would have been if he lived another life. But this is the life he got; He doesn't have time to think about all that. And he has to get away from here to protect her. Because if not, Sakuno will get their attention.

"Natsume..."

Natsume inwardly sighed and started walking. "I know. I get it. Let's just go." He didn't hear any response. He just walked and walked. The weird, uneasy sensation on the pit of his stomach lingers and he thinks that maybe it's because of hunger. But Natsume doesn't feel hungry anymore.

Natsume reluctantly passed the heavy wrought iron gates of the campus with Ruka on tow. The students were staring at them in wide astonishment. Naturally, he wouldn't care about the stares. Natsume glanced behind him and saw Ruka shyly shifting his eyes from left to right while embracing his pet rabbit tightly around his wide chest.

When he returned his gaze ahead of him, there he saw a female student leaning on the metal railing. The first thing Natsume noticed is her hair; dark brown locks tied in one loose braid resting behind her. The long fringe of hair on her forehead was swept to her right and a couple of stray hairs framing her oval face. Her big brown eyes was widely opened, as if surprised to see him. Then again, all the students were surprised to see him.

Natsume couldn't care less. He looked away and wondered what Sakuno looked like. In his whole search, he only based on the vague recollection of her hair style. And he remembers the color of her eyes, and her pink supple lips. He remembers how small her body is compared to his. He remembers all the small things but he can't quite make up a face for her. Her file wasn't updated and it also doesn't have a picture. There was nothing to confirm that a certain girl really is the Sakuno he is searching for. Of course, he could ask, but Natsume never thought about talking to any of the students.

Certainly an odd way to conduct a search.

Somehow, Natsume wished that Sakuno would look like the brown-haired girl leaning on the railing. The urge to look at the girl again was so strong, Natsume allowed himself to surreptitiously peer his eyes towards her. This time, the girl had her lips had a gentle curve upwards and her eyes equally gentle.

It took him almost a second to realize that she was smiling at him. Suddenly, he wasn't feeling nauseous . Instead, he felt an odd warmth on the pit of his stomach.

It would be a great relief, Natsume thought, if that girl is Sakuno.

Natsume hurried down the sidewalk, unexpectedly eager to get back inside the academy.

.

Ryoma is taking his sweet time changing back to his school uniform. More students descended for the building. The clock on her phone read 4:55 pm. Sylvia's closes down at five. Sakuno could only hope that Mari from Sylvia's happened to close down a bit later than planned.

Sakuno decided to send Tomoka a mail to kill time. Ryoma won't be but a while, anyway. He may be running to her now, as far as she's concerned.

"_I think I found the guy you were talking about,_" she typed with the relatively small keypad of her brand new phone. "_Does he have black hair or blonde?_" She added. She hit the send button and slumped on the metal railing. It didn't take a single minute for Tomoka to give her reply.

"Y_es! Where is he? Yes, the black haired guy. Where did you get the idea of blonde hair being close to black?_" it read.

"_They already left. There was blonde guy with him._" Sakuno replied.

"_Oh._" was all Tomoka replied with. Seconds later, Tomoka added, "_Is he handsome too?_"

Sakuno recalled the way the blonde haired guy petted the cotton white hare with his big, soft-looking calloused hands. The way his eyes are shifting uneasily from all the stares with a little frown on his handsome face. "_Very. What were they doing here anyway?_"

"_By 'here' you mean school? Did you get me a quick shot?_"

"_Yeah, the school. And I didn't take one; there's a lot of people watching._"

"_I'm not sure but they may be looking for someone. Slight, slight chance that they're looking for me._"

"_The slightest. Haha, but really, they were searching for someone?_"

"_Yeah. Why are you so curious about that all of a sudden? Shouldn't you be asking, like, would velvet or dark red would go for Kikumaru-senpai's hair?_"

"_I'm still by the school. Ryoma's still changing. I'll just go tomorrow morning._"

"_Dang._"

"_Here's me hoping Mari will close a bit late for reasons._"

There wasn't a reply for two minutes. Maybe she's busy babysitting her importunate brothers. Sakuno tapped her leather shoe absentmindedly. Seconds later, there was a ticklish buzz on the palm of her hands. Tomoka had mailed her.

"_So?_" it read.

"_So, what?_"

"_Why are you curious about them? You never give any other guy a second thought._"

Yes, Sakuno wondered, why was she asking these things? Maybe because she doesn't have anything to do aside from waiting. Maybe she merely wanted to 'check out other guys' like Tomoka seldom did. Sakuno knew that those weren't the reasons. She's just curious, that's all.

The black haired guy flashed in her mind. He had his broad shoulders slumped and his hair tousled. His chiseled face down but not entirely hid his glum eyes from her. He was a sad figure. When he looked at her directly, she saw more than sadness. Looking at him is heartbreaking.

The second time she saw his eyes on her, she took an effort to smile for him. There, she found his features soften but he didn't smile.

So he's searching for someone. From what she heard, he was here since lunch break. The guy had searched for that someone since then and probably failed, given by his expression. Sakuno wouldn't want to share this to Tomoka. It'll be her little lamentable secret.

Her phone vibrated again. Tomoka was asking why.

"Sakuno." She heard an all familiar voice. Ryoma was standing in front of her, though a couple of steps away. He had his had slung on his broad shoulder. He's helping himself with a can of cold grape Ponta. "Did you wait long?"

"No." she answered. She straightened herself and walked to his side. "Let's go home."

"What about the shop you were talking about?"

She shook her head. "I could arrange that for tomorrow."

He stared at her. "It's closed now, is it?"

Sakuno didn't answer. He grabbed her hand and started walking. "I'll go with you tomorrow." he said.

"No, it's fine. I can manage."

"I'll go with you tomorrow." he said again, as if weighing every single word. She nodded an okay. After a while, he said "The locker room was locked. I had to go around to get a duplicate."

It took Sakuno a second to realize that Ryoma was explaining to her. She smiled and savored the feel of his hands on hers, trying not to make him realize that he's still holding her hand. "Okay. " she just said.

Before Ryoma called her name, she sent Tomoka a reply. "_Nothing._" Sakuno typed, "_I just hope he'll find the person he's looking for._"


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"What do you mean the effects are delayed?" Tomoka growled, seeming more stressed than Sakuno should be. Sakuno fully understands what Tomoka's argument is. The tonic Inui made is the solution to their problem, but this is supposed to be an instant thing.

"This is supposed to be an instant thing!" Tomoka covered her forehead with both her hands, sitting on the least destroyed seat the park could ever offer. As Sakuno sat beside her best friend, she felt the marred wood slightly bend at her weight. She started scratching the chipped white paint and felt bad as she saw small white litter on the ground. This was her doing. She also couldn't pry away the notion that maybe what Kikumaru's current state was also her doing.

What the others think of her feelings for Ryoma was her doing as well. If only she hadn't been so easy to _read_.

"Now, now. We are all saddened by this." Fuji said. He wore a fitted beige khakis shorts with an equally fitted yellow checkered polo, the first two buttons undone, showing a hint of chest hair. Sakuno had to bite her lip to keep from sneaking peeks at him- _staring_ at him. It wasn't just because Fuji looked good in civilian clothes; he was acting exceptionally fishy. And it wasn't because he always looked like he had done something terribly sadistic.

_All _of them are acting exceptionally fishy. Or were they?

"Senpai-tachi," Ryoma released a low groan. He shifted his weight to his other leg. "This isn't some kind of joke, right? Did you really give him the antidote?"

Sakuno stared down at Fuji's large, large shoes. She can't ignore how hairy his legs are and how hairy Fuji really is. She pried her eyes elsewhere. To her own fingers, her own shoes, the gray pavement she's stepping on, thinking how many people have stepped on this poor stone.

Momo frowned. "That's not fair, Echizen. If you came at the right time, you should've been with us, forcing the, um, thing down his throat." He swung a small glass bottle that contained a hint of purplish liquid (the antidote?) with his thick fingers, in evident disgust, like it was hard evidence. "Where were you both anyway?"

"Somewhere..." Ryoma's voice trailed off. He swung his can of Ponta to his mouth like it's still half full. Everyone knows that it's just a simple piece of aluminum now.

"Oh-ho-ho." Momo's eyes trialed to the other's: to Kawamura, and Inui, and Oishi, and Kikumaru and to the handsome, handsome Fuji. The perfectly hairy Fuji that just caught her eye. Sakuno was almost glad that the captain, Tezuka, wasn't here. Momo tossed the bottle to Inui. Sakuno knew what she was doing: she was _checking out other guys_. It felt wrong. Ryoma was just there...

"At Sylvia's!" Sakuno tried to elaborate further. "I was supposed to buy something yesterday but I decided that I'll just buy it today. Ryoma just accompanied me." She wagged her hands in front of her, not really elaborating anything.

"_A-ccom-pany._" Momo sang. He realized how Sakuno doesn't have a bag that might contain what she might have bought. No hard evidence that she and Ryoma had really been to Sylvia's. Sakuno almost heard him repeating it in his head. _Oh-ho-ho_.

"He just accompanied her, no big deal. Stupid, stupid peach." Kaidoh muttered. Momo's head jerked to him. He loosened his folded arms that Sakuno hadn't noticed were folded at all. They were suddenly glaring at each other.

"I don't see why we can't have a match. Just to prove that the stupid, stupid peach is better than the stupid, stupid snake." Momo snarled.

Kaidoh rolled his eyes. "Asking for a match at this important time is proof that the stupid peach is really stupid."

The others started to calm Momo. Sakuno can't see why she suspected that the others are acting fishy. Like they had done something, and it was going on course. At the same time, Tomoka's unreadable face turned to Sakuno. "Sylvia's. Still? You're still making him that plush toy or whatever?"

Sakuno tried to smile. The smile just came naturally, like it wasn't forced. Evidently, she still haven't told Tomoka how Ryoma successfully convinced her to not make the plush toy. For Kikumaru. Going to Sylvia's was a total waste of time. Ryoma had convinced her on the way to Sylvia's. But the time wasted-which seemed like eternity- Sakuno was happy about. _Absolute Flirting Moment_. She was glad she decided to wear her high-waisted jeans and partnered it with a fit clad tee. Her sides were still tingling from Ryoma's touch. It seemed surreal to wish that Ryoma noticed her curved waist and how her hips was this big bump, but not in an ugly way. And, thankfully, no big belly; not that she had any trouble with her abdomen before. She's closer to being a woman now. _Almost, any time now_,she impatiently thought.

She felt the marred wood bend more, indicating that someone sat somewhere near her. Awfully familiar, heavy, muscled arms wrapped around her shoulders. Kikumaru's breath tickled her neck. "I can't _believe _that people around me don't take my feelings for you seriously." He whispered in her ear, lightly blocking the team's voices. "Believe me, I love you."

Her smile faltered. She now forced her lips up. "How convincing."

She felt Ryoma's glare on their direction. _Jealous_, she forced herself to believe.

* * *

Natsume slipped his way through a window into his room. His 'Special Star' room. The light wasn't on, and Natsume thought it was natural. Just as it is past curfew, the patrol guard rounded the corners of the building, the glare of his flashlight shot to the tree that Natsume recently climbed.

He just barely escaped the wrath of discovery.

Natsume shut the glass window without audible noise. He quickly removed his muddied shoes and silently glided to his bed. He heard a faint familiar creak of the wooden floor outside the hallway. A dim light hinted at the gaps underneath until it brightened.

It's _them_.

Muttering a silent curse, he removed his damp black shirt and quickly put on a white v-neck that hung on a chair. Together with his shoes, he shoved the black shirt under his bed and he slid under the covers. He felt light-headed. He heard the creaks getting louder and it stopped. He heard a clang of metal and realized that they were unlocking his door. Natsume tried to close his eyes but it doesn't follow.

The door swung open. Natsume could see the outline of a person- a man. His face slightly visible above the glare of his flashlight. His height tall enough to only need a single head for the man to reach the door panel. A sense of awkward adolescence in his stance. It took Natsume a second to realize that the man was his ward. His almost-little brother.

"_Yoichi_."

"Natsume-nii."

Natsume let out the breath he didn't notice he was holding. But then he felt like he should hold it again. The patrol guard. Was he far enough not to hear them? Natsume tore his eyes away from the older form of Yoichi, who was supposed to be nine years old only. There was no other obvious light than the gentle touch of the moon.

There was no other obvious light than Yoichi's flashlight, in full blast.

"_Shut that off._" Natsume said in a harsh whisper. Yoichi turned off the flashlight in an instant and closed the door behind him, careful not to make any noise. Natsume got off the bed to the window. He was almost relieved that there was no sign of the patrol guard.

Almost.

"What are you doing here? It's past curfew." He turned back and peered his eyes to the other occupant in his room. Natsume could hear the anger in his voice. Yoichi flinched. Natsume squeezed his eyes shut, releasing a very deep breath before inhaling only a bit, trying to calm his nerves. This is wrong. He shouldn't be so angry at Yoichi. He's just a child, after all. He tried to make his voice gentle. "You're supposed to be asleep."

Yoichi turned back to his original state. His flannel pajamas slowly getting bigger as he grew smaller. His night slippers slowly fitting his feet right. "I was waiting for you. I didn't know where you were, and Ruka-nii suddenly disappeared. We're supposed to be going to the Central Town. You promised."

Natsume completely forgot. His mind was full of Sakuno all day. Remembering that he still hadn't found her brought down his spirits. His stomach twisted and churned. He would do this; he would forget that there is another person expecting him- that there was a _child _who looked up to him- and pursue his selfish needs. He would do that.

Natsume opened his eyes to study the kid. Yoichi's toes are evidently curled underneath his night slippers and he has his hands behind him. His head is bent down, looking vulnerable. Like a scolded puppy. Like he just lost his entire family. His only family. Natsume knew that's what young Yoichi felt. Sometimes, Natsume felt like he was more of a father to Yoichi than a brother.

He crossed the room and stopped in front of Yoichi. He pressed both his hands on the kid's shoulders.

"I'm sorry." he whispered.

Yoichi lifted his gaze. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I promise, really promise, to go with you soon enough. Whenever you want to go."

"Tomorrow." Yoichi said quickly. "We could go tomorrow. Can we go tomorrow?"

Natsume brought one hand to ruffle Yoichi's hair. He tugged his lips upward. "Sure. Tomorrow. And we'll get you some Howalon candy that you want."

For a moment, Yoichi's eyes told Natsume he was pleased. But, slowly, his lips quivered. Later, his shoulders were slightly shaking. He was at the verge of his tears. Natsume asked what was wrong but Yoichi only shook his head, attempting to hide his sudden depression. Natsume asked again. Yoichi opened his mouth, hesitating, and a strained sound escaped. "I miss her."

Natsume halted. Slowly, almost agonizingly, his hands slipped down to his sides, too tired to go into fists. An awkward silence fell into his chest. A familiar coldness in his gut came.

"I'm sorry." Yoichi stammered. "I shouldn't have brought her up. We can't talk about her, I know. I-"

"No. It's fine. It's... It's not that we can't talk about her. It's just too painful to talk about."

They fell silent. Natsume paced and sat down at the corner of his massive bed. Only too grateful there's a bit of metal he can hold to steady himself. Of course, no one had bothered to talk about Mikan in front of him. They all reasoned that he wasn't ready to talk about her yet. And they had been right. He felt broken without her. Like he is missing his Alpha, or his most favorite blanket.

Not that he ever had to miss his blanket.

"Narumi was talking about her. He had a meeting with the High School Principal. They mentioned a protection team. I listened to them and I learned where she is!"

Natsume looked at him. Protection team?

"Do you know what that means, Natsume-nii? We could ask them to let us join the protection team. We'll see her! We won't talk to her, but we'll still see her. We'll finally see her!" Unhealthy eagerness rung in Yoichi. Natsume was familiar with this. He, too, felt the same eagerness when he found out where Sakuno was. Sakuno...

Natsume doesn't know what to say. He felt happy, and sad, and dejected, and everything else. Isn't this what he wanted before? When he woke up from his deep slumber, when he finally recovered from his almost-death experience, when the Imai siblings disappeared, when he saw the sorry faces the others gave him, when he thought Mikan was _dead_... He wanted to see Mikan more than he wanted to see Sakuno. His heart ached. He longed for her touch, her voice, her lips. He wants to see Mikan _now_.

He knows he shouldn't. More than anything else, he know it shouldn't be done.

He's tempted.

He's _very_ tempted.

"Natsume-nii?"

But what if the High School Principal approves? He would. _Would_. Natsume just have to make sure word doesn't get to him that Natsume sneaks out the academy, no matter how hard it is. But if he already knew...

"Natsume-nii, you're scaring me. Natsume-nii! _Snap out of it!_"

Natsume was drawn back to Earth. What had he been thinking? He thrust his fingers through his raven black hair, as if to feel if he had every piece of him attached to his body. Somehow, his gut was not. His stomach was all ice and air. He gulped, his saliva sticky and thick in his mouth. He looked at Yoichi. Yoichi had moved and is now in front of him, with his head align with Natsume's. Yoichi grows taller and taller by the year, Natsume came to a realization. Yoichi's getting older, and so was Natsume. Natsume shouldn't be acting like this. He should act mature. With a sigh, he pushed Yoichi gently and stood. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

Yoichi's face piched, his boyish charm evident. He shrugged off Natsume's arms and backed away. "I'm not a kid anymore. I don't need anyone to tuck me in."

Natsume tried not to laugh. In occasions, Yoichi reminds him of his age. "I'm tucking you in, anyway."


End file.
